moon_guardfandomcom-20200213-history
Darion Mograine
Undead Human}} |Row 3 title = Affiliations: |Row 3 info = Knights of the Ebon Blade Ashen Verdict Four Horsemen Armies of Legionfall Undead Scourge (Formerly) Argent Dawn (Formerly) Order of the Silver Hand (Formerly) |Row 4 title = Relatives: |Row 4 info = Elena Mograine (Mother) Renault Mograine (Brother) |Row 5 title = Status: |Row 5 info = }}Darion Mograine is the current Highlord of the Knights of the Ebon Blade, an order of Death Knights which rebelled against the Lich King at the beginning of the Northrend Campaign. He is the son of Alexandros Mograine, and a former knight of the Argent Dawn. =History= ---- Early Life and Death Not much is known about the early life of Darion Mograine. On the day of his birth he was stillborn, destined to die before he had even lived. Fearing the death of his son, his father Alexandros Mograine, rushed to a nearby stream and with the use of the freezing water managed to give Darion Mograine life, but the complications surrounding the birth caused his mother Elena Mograine to pass from the world. Following the death of his mother, his life continued in a rather uneventful manner. He grew up, presumably educated and trained in combat. Enough so that he would be present during a battle within the ruined city of Stratholme many years later when he was a young adult. Stratholme, once a bastion of humanity and one of the largest cities in the Kingdom of Lordaeron had fallen to the Undead Scourge an army of the damned charged with scourging the world of all life. During the battle he was wounded and fell into a state of unconciousness. When he awoke a day later, he described the experience as being surrounded by darkness, until he was shown a light that allowed him to return to the world of the living. Following the fall of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, Darion Mograine would suffer again when he learned of the death of his father Alexandros, although he was not privy to the details of his death. Filled with uncertainty and doubt, he began to question the Light, until he was confronted by Zabra Hexx, a troll who had been spared by Alexandros when he was discovered by the Silver Hand many years earlier. Zabra comforted the young man, and encouraged him to search for his father in an fortress floating above a burning city. After the priest vanished mysteriously, Darion returned to what was then known as the Plaguelands, and in doing so discovered and joined the Order of the Argent Dawn, a militant group that had splintered away from what would become known as the Scarlet Crusade. After serving with the Argent Dawn for some time, Darion gathered a group of volunteers for what was considered by many to be a suicide mission, an invasion into the dread citadel Naxxramas, the fortress that Zabra Hexx had told him about. The invasion was a failure, with the entire party being massacred within Naxxramas at the hands of the Four Horsemen, but despite the losses that were suffered, Darion was able to strike down the leader of the Four Horsemen, the reanimated remains of his father which had been taken by Kel'Thuzad after his death and take his blade, the Ashbringer, now corrupted with dark magic. Upon gripping the sword, Darion Mograine heard a voice within his head, a voice which encouraged him to travel to the grounds of the Scarlet Monastery. When he arrived, he confronted his brother Renault Mograine, who attempted to kill him for reasons that Darion was not aware of as he did not know that his brother had been responsible for the death of his father. Just as Renault was about to secure the death blow on his brother however, the energies of the blade coalesced and formed into the spirit of Alexandros, who confronted his now terrified son. Renault begged for forgiveness, but it was too little too late, with the spirit of the former Highlord beheading Renault for his betrayal. After the Scarlet Commander had fallen, the spirit of Alexandros did forgive the ruined remains of his son, before disappearing back into the blade. What Darion had witnessed at the Scarlet Monastery would never be forgotten, and it caused him to come to a realization. He knew that his father's soul was trapped within the corrupted blade, and he desperately sought to free him from his imprisonment. To that end Darion stole a horse from the Scarlet Crusade and fled into the wilderness. He wandered for some time, until the ghost of High Inquisitor Fairbanks, a great friend of Alexandros in life, visited him in a dream. The spirit of the High Inquisitor told Darion to seek out Tirion Fordring one of the last remaining original Paladins of the Silver Hand. Following the instructions given to him by the spirit, Darion eventually found Tirion, although his reception was less than welcoming. Tirion argued with Darion, telling him about his banishment and how nothing could be done for Alexandros. Before departing, Tirion exclaimed that only an act of love greater than the act of evil that had condemned Alexandros's soul could free him from his imprisonment. Before the pair went their separate ways, Darion invited Tirion to join the Argent Dawn, but Tirion refused outright. Not one to be spurned, Darion ended their meeting with an open invitation, asking Tirion to be a hero. After his meeting with Tirion, Darion returned to the headquarters of the Argent Dawn, the chapel of Light's Hope. However, he would return to dire circumstances, as an army of the Scourge had surrounded the holy site, and was prepared to lay siege. Lord Maxwell Tyrosus, pleased that Darion had returned to then in what would be considered a most dire hour, told Darion a simple truth about Light's Hope, that beneath the chapel rested the souls of a thousand champions, who had been killed by Arthas during the invasion of Lordaeron City. Knowing that he had to defend the chapel against the coming attack, Darion took his place in the front line and prepared to cast back the undead assault. In the battle that followed, the forces of the damned quickly began to overwhelm the defenders of Light's Hope, but the tide began to turn as Tirion Fordring joined the fray, giving the defenders of the Chapel a much needed boost of morale. The battle appeared to swing back in humanities favor, but just as it appeared that the forces of the Light would be victorious, the right hand of the Lich King, Kel'Thuzad appeared on the battlefield. Eager to end the threat that Kel'Thuzad represented, Darion charged into the undead lines, cutting a path through the Scourge forces until he confronted the Lich himself. Despite the ferocity and skill of his opponent, Kel'Thuzad showed no fear exclaiming that even the powerful Ashbringer was not strong enough to stop him. It was in that moment that Darion realized the truth of Tirion's words as they had been spoken during their first meeting. Only an act of love could set his father free, but not just an act of love toward a loved one, but an act of love for the cause in which they had both believed in. Opting to sacrifice himself for his father and for the cause, Darion turned the Ashbringer on himself, stabbing himself through the heart. In response to that noble action, the spirits of the champions that had rested beneath the chapel raged and unleashed their wrath upon the undead army. By the time they had finished, only Kel'Thuzad and the now undead form of Darion Mograine remained, the blade of the Ashbringer still pierced through his chest. Despite losing his entire army, Kel'Thuzad was not dismayed by his apparent loss, rather, he remained triumphant, for despite the noble sacrifice that Darion had committed he had inadvertently corrupted his soul, delivering the last Mograine into the hands of the Scourge. Pulling the sword from his own chest, Darion Mograine took his place beside Kel'Thuzad as a Death Knight of the Scourge. The Rise of the Ebon Blade Some time after his death Darion was promoted to the rank of Highlord, and given command over a force of Death Knights and the dread citadel Acherus. Sent to the Eastern Kingdoms to purge the living from the Plaguelands, Darion Mograine and his Death Knights began their campaign of destruction by annihilating the forces of the Scarlet Crusade who had occupied the far east of the plaguelands. Havenshire and New Avalon, two settlements that had been constructed behind the citadel of Tyr's Hand were wiped off the map, and the remains of the Scarlet Crusade were forced to flee by ship, those that remained behind to fight were killed to the last man, woman and child. None were spared from the Lich King's wrath. Following the destruction of the Scarlet Crusade, attention was turned to the last holy bastion that stood in defiance of the Lich King, Light's Hope Chapel. The place that Darion had died defending from the Scourge was now the place he was destined to destroy. Marshaling an army of undead that far outnumbered the meager defenders of the chapel, Darion laid siege to the holy site. By traditional standards, the battle should have been a quick one, but as before with the first scourge assault on Light's Hope, Tirion Fordring and the holy presence beneath the chapel intervened, resulting in the defeat of the Scourge forces and the subjugation of Darion Mograine and the surviving Death Knights with the exception of those who managed to flee the battlefield before the Scourge forces were defeated. Attempting to convince Darion of his folly for blindly following the orders of the Lich King, neither Tirion nor Darion were prepared for when the Lich King himself would appear on the field, taunting both men for their failure. Admitting that he had sent the Death Knights to die so that he could secure the soul of the last original Paladin, Arthas gloated over his supposed victory. Darion attempted to strike down the former prince for his betrayal, but was cast aside as easily as a child's toy, as were the remaining defenders of Light's Hope when they attempted to stop the Lich King from killing Tirion Fordring. In a last ditch attempt to save the Paladin, Darion Mograine threw the corrupted Ashbringer to the man, who purified the weapon upon gripping it. Able to break the Lich King's hold and even strike at the former prince, Tirion forced the Lich King to retreat from the field, leaving the remaining defenders and the betrayed Death Knights to clean up the mess that had been created. In response to the betrayal that all the Death Knights had suffered, Darion created a new force of Death Knights, known as the Knights of the Ebon Blade. They returned to Acherus and slaughtered the Scourge forces within, claiming the dread citadel for themselves before traveling to Northrend, eager to take part in the campaign that would ultimately see to the death of the Lich King. Many of the Knights of the Ebon Blade took part in the battles across the ravaged continent but eventually as the campaign came to a close, Darion would take the best of his men and combine forces with the newly formed Argent Crusade to establish an order committed to the defeat of the Lich King, the Ashen Verdict. Aided by the Alliance and the New Horde, the Ashen Verdict invaded Icecrown Citadel, the seat of the Lich King's power. Pushing through the various levels of the citadel, they slaughtered many of the Lich King's champions and abominations, before finally defeating the Lich King himself. Although Darion was not present for the final battle, he was made aware of the truth surrounding the defeat of the Lich King, that Bolvar Fordragon, a former hero of the Alliance had sacrificed himself to serve as the Jailer of the Damned. A Search for Answers After the defeat of the Lich King, Darion Mograine returned to guiding the Knights of the Ebon Blade, aiding those who had served with him initially, as well as those who had been freed when the Lich King was defeated. However the sacrifice of Bolvar Fordragon always tugged at his mind. When the Iron Horde invaded Azeroth some time later through the Dark Portal, Darion used the opportunity to travel into an alternate version of the Orc homeworld of Draenor. Once there, he sought out any and all information he could find on the former chieftain of the Shadowmoon Clan, the Orc Shaman, Ner'zhul. Ner'zhul had been the original Lich King, long before Arthas had claimed that power for himself, and it was Darion's hope that somewhere within the vaults of the Shadowmoon Burial Grounds was a way for Darion to free Bolvar from his position as the jailer of the damned. Although he gained much information thanks to the heroic efforts of the Azerothian Heroes, by the end of the War against the Iron Horde, he had come no closer to securing the freedom of Bolvar Fordragon. Third Invasion When Acherus moved to the gates of Icecrown Citadel, Darion wasn't surprised with the Lich King choosing the chosen death knight to be his hand since they know of their exploits. He exclaims that they are not bound to the new Lich King, but he could be a valuable ally to deal with the Burning Legion. It is also in their best interests that the Scourge stay contained. After one of the artifacts are recovered, the Lich King made the death knight who obtained it the Deathlord of the Ebon Blade. Mograine, more than happy to not be wielding yet another fate-altering magical weapon, pledged himself as the first follower under the Deathlord. The Lich King's voice spoke to the Deathlord, telling them that the time of the Four Horsemen is at hand and they will bring them back into the fold. Darion explains to the Deathlord that the Four Horsemen of Naxxramas were no ordinary death knights, as they were born of pure unholy power gifted from the Lich King to Kel'thuzad. Now this power had been passed onto the Deathlord and he is sure that they will wield it with great conviction. Nazgrim was the first to be raised as a part of the new Four Horsemen, an act which Darion knew would outrage the Horde. The next Horseman, Thoras Trollbane, was the previous king of the fallen kingdom of Stromgarde. When the third Horsemen was announced, Darion was surprised to learn that it was the Scarlet Crusade fanatic Sally Whitemane. He told the Deathlord that Whitemane was not listed in the annals of history alongside the names of fallen heroes. But despite her madness and zealotry, she held a bond to the Light unmatched by even the greatest paladins. Darion was sure that she would serve the Ebon Blade without compromise. When the Lich King announced the identity of the last Horseman, Darion was outraged, claiming that the Lich King demanded too much by asking to raise Tirion Fordring. Darion reluctantly obeyed, but warned the Deathlord that there would be no redemption for what they were about to do. Furthermore, the Silver Hand would never hand Tirion to them and the blood that they were about to spill would stain their hands forever. Upon reaching Light's Hope Chapel, Darion informs the Deathlord that there's a tomb behind the chapel where the power of the Light is weak. The Deathlord then raised the dead from within the tomb distracting the guards long enough for them to make their way to the chapel. Darion strangulates Maxwell Tyrosus allowing the Deathlord to enter into the paladin order hall and tells them that he and the horsemen would meet them in there. When Liadrin fell before the Deathlord, Darion and the horsemen walked up to the tomb. As Darion passes by Liadrin she calls him a monster to which he sadly responds that "without monsters, there can be no heroes". He then asks the Deathlord to raise Tirion. However, when raising Tirion from his tomb, the Light cancels the channeling knocking the Deathlord across the room, stunning the death knights and ravaging their bodies. Darion, not willing to allow his faction to fall, creates a Gate which the horsemen use to retreat back to Acherus, after which he Death Grips the still stunned Deathlord, telling them to take the Death Gate before pushing them through it, saving them from certain death. Unfortunately Darion himself didn't manage to step through the Death Gate quickly enough and he was struck down by the power of the Holy Light. Back at Acherus the Deathlord and the three horsemen gather around Darion's body. Nazgrim exclaims that they must do something before Darion is truly lost to them but Whitemane tells him that the Light has completely ravaged Darion's body and that there's nothing that they can do for him. Trollbane then commends Darion's sacrifice, saying that despite having seeing a lifetime of war he had never before seen such a sacrifice. It's then that the Lich King contacts the Deathlord telling them how Darion had sacrificed more for the Ebon Blade than any other and that while his broken and scarred body was now laying in front of them, death was only meant for the living and it had no power over the damned. The last member of the Four Horsemen, was laying before the Deathlord and at their command Darion was raised from the dead once again and ordered by the Lich King to take leadership of the group. Corrupted Ashbringer Maxwell Tyrosus together with the Highlord of the Silver Hand arrived to Acherus demanding an audience with the Four Horsemen. Though they weren't nicely welcomed, Maxwell reminded Darion and the other Horsemen that the death knights were indebted to the Order of the Silver Hand for attacking Light's Hope in attempt to raise Tirion as one of theirs. Agreeing, the Horsemen corrupted the Ashbringer with their energies. Legionfall Rimefang's Harness appeared in Icecrown Citadel and the Deathlord wanted to retrieve it personally. Minerva Ravensorrow went to scout ahead there to be there to lend a hand. When the Deathlord and Minerva returned, the Knights of the Ebon Blade strategized what to do with the harness. They could utilize its power to bind the spirits of deceased drakes of Daumyr brood. Upon return the Deathlord made quite the entrance that made the Four Horsemen mount up for battle upon the Broken Shore. Darion proclaims that the Burning Legion will fall and that the Ebon Blade shall strike them down for Azeroth. Partially adapted from Wowpedia Category:Characters Category:Death Knights Category:Human Category:Order of the Ebon Blade Category:Lordaeronian